Just Couldn't Take It...
by Akai-chan
Summary: Poor Lina-chan, she just couldn't take the heat. Heh, I know it sounds stupid and to be truthful I really do think this thing is stupid and gramatically incorrect but I had to do something to get rid of my writer's block. R&R Please L/Z


Just Couldn't Take It

Disclaimer: Blah Blah  The characters in this fic don't belong to me, Yada Yada and all that crap.  You get the picture.  On to the fic.  Enjoy ^_^

In the dark of a somber night, a lone figure trod down the path to nowhere in an attempt to escape…

I'm sorry you guys, but I just couldn't stand it any longer

Indeed, she could not; watching him like that…so happy, so carefree now that he'd gotten what he wanted…she was happy to see him happy of course…but she wanted to be the one to make him happy.  Although, he was happy that she'd been able to read the lost language in which the spell he needed was inscribed…it wasn't the same.

They'd been celebrating earlier, having a grand time when it happened.  _She _had pulled him aside for what seemed like a private conversation.  Lina could tell she'd been nervous, seeing her hands shake slightly when she'd placed them on his arm, the slight blush on her face, and then the blush that tinged his peach pale cheeks when she'd spoken to him about what she'd wished.

Seeing all this, Lina couldn't take it, she knew what would happen next and she did not want to stick around for her heart to break when they announced the news.  She'd made up her mind to leave as soon as the chance was given, which did not take long since the celebrations continued, the attention centered back on to him.

Unnoticed and silent, she left the inn without so much as a word, silently bidding farewell to her companions…

And now, here she was in the dead of night, heading to who knows where, sulking and just plain depressed.  She felt sorry for herself, thinking that if she were beautiful, she could have what she'd longed for.  All the power of the Lord of Nightmares herself would not matter if she could be in his arms, feeling the safety and security she'd always felt when his presence was near.  * _sigh_ *…never again.

Trudging on somberly, Lina wandered into the woods beside the path she was following.  She walked until she came to a clearing.  The trees broke above and the stars were in a lucid, magnified view.  Finding a large boulder, she sat and watched the stars, their twinkle like a mimic of the glistening liquid brimming in Lina's crimson hues.  That is, of course, before there was a rustling of the bushes to the left of her.  Blinking back her tears, Lina jumped to awareness, a fireball of massive proportions already lay in wait within her hands.  "Whose there?" she called, hiding the fear she felt.

"It's alright Lina, it's just me. Don't shoot," came the voice of an approaching dark figure out from the bush.

"You…how did you…"

"I tracked you.  I noticed that you weren't there when the celebration began again, and neither were any of your things in your room when I checked, so I got worried and decided to find you.  Now tell me, why'd you leave?  Is there something wrong?" he asked, a genuine expression of concern shown on his usually stotic face.  He went and sat on the boulder, which Lina now stood infront of, waiting for her response.

Unable to look at him, or say anything, she turned her back to him and looked up at the stars.

"Lina, please tell me what's wrong.  I thought you were happy earlier today."

"…."

"Lina…"

"…You wouldn't understand."

"How can you know that when you haven't tried to tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't, it's as simple as that," Lina kept her voice controlled and emotionless, fighting to keep it from wavering and trembling with the pain raging inside.

"Then I'll make an effort to.  If only you would just…" but he was cut off

"Look, just go away and leave me be.  Besides, I'm sure _she_ will be worried about you sneaking off like this," she couldn't help the bitterness that slipped into that last statement.

"She?  Who's…" then it hit him.  His mind went back to earlier when the person in question had pulled him aside.  She'd said she had something ask him, now that his search was over.  He remembered the desolate, utterly saddened expression on Lina's face when it happened and had resolved to pull her aside and ask what was up, but when he'd looked up again she was no where to be seen.  Now he understood, but…he couldn't believe it.

It seemed to him that Lina actually cared, it was logical after all, if she thought what he thought she thought about what would happen next after that little chat he'd had.  But he wasn't sure, so he figured now would be the best time to explain things and see where Lina's affections lay.

This time when he spoke, he kept a hushed, calm tone, his voice reaching out… "Lina, I know something's bothering you, that much you cannot hide.  All I'm asking is that you tell me what it is, and I promise you that I will make it better…I will do anything in my power to make things alright again."

Lina turned slightly then, looking at him from the corner of her eye.  Seeing the sincerity in his eyes made her want to just weep and get it over with, but she settled for a deep, steadying sigh before turning back to the sky.

"Fine then, what do you want to know…"

"I want to know what's bothering you, what made you leave suddenly and not tell anyone you were going?"

The tears rose again, and Lina had to bite down on her lip to compress the sob that threatened to escape.  She couldn't tell him, too much was at stake, her pride being one of those things.  Telling him her reasons for doing what she did would change nothing, only that he would then think she, Lina Inverse, was a spineless coward who was afraid of her own feelings.  And even if he didn't think that about her, what was the use in telling him when he belonged with someone else.

"Tell me, Zelgadis, are you happy now that you're with Amelia?"  Lina asked, barely keeping the trembling from her voice.

"What are you talking about, Lina?"

"You don't have to pretend.  I know you and Amelia got together today."

"Again I ask, what are you talking about?"

She turned around in a huff or irritance to face the once chimera.  "You and Amelia left the party for a while, and you had a conversation.  Was that not what it was about?"

"Well, yes, she did mention something along those lines."

"And what did she say?"

"She asked me to join when she would leave for Sailoon in a few days.  Then she started rambling about how she didn't see where I could refuse since she knew there was something between us and nothing stood in our way now that I've found my cure."

"And did you not except her offer?"  Lina was not facing him with arms crossed over her chest, a hard look in her eyes as she waited for his damning response.  She braced herself for what she knew was to come…

"No," he said, his swirling sapphire eyes locking with hers, "I didn't."  He smiled when he say Lina's reaction.  She stood slumped and slack-jawed from utter shock…_She does care_…

"But…I thought…" but she was cut off by a slender digit placed upon her lips to stop the flow of speech.  The owner of said digit shook his head.

"I thought you knew me better than this Lina.  I'm no rapist, I would not take advantage of a child; she may have the attributes of a young woman, but Amelia is still a child.  I wouldn't deal in matters of the heart when it comes to children, unless it happens to be my own child."  Slowly, he removed the digit from her lips and used both his hands to grasp hers, pulling her closer to where their faces were but two nose lengths apart. 

Though the emotions that played across his face and swirled in his eyes spoke volumes, he thought it best to voice his feelings for the lovely red-head who was so deliciously close.

"Truthfully, I do love someone, but it isn't Amelia."

"Wh…who, then?"  She had to ask since he was torturing her so!  

"Isn't it obvious?" he said brushing his lips across hers in what was more like a caress than a kiss.  "I love _you_, Lina Inverse," Zel confessed before finally capturing her lips with his own.  To his surprise and delight, Lina immediately responded, leaning in to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer, holding on for what felt like dear life.

When they finally parted for need of air, Lina embraced him even further, burring her face in the crook of his neck.  "Oh Zel, I love you, too.  I just never thought in million years that you…"

"Neither did I…," Zelgadis admitted, closing his eyes as he ran a hand through her silky locks fire, as he'd always wanted to.  "I never thought you'd return my feelings either."  He pulled back slightly so as to look into her eyes, smiling a smile of wonder.  "But now that I know the truth, I'm happier than I've ever been."

A smile spread across Lina's now pink flushed face as she looked into his sapphire hues.  "I'm glad."

"However," he began, now gaining a look of trepidation, eyes darting to and from the twin rubies that looked upon him intently before he spoke in a more hushed manner, "I could be happier."  Reaching into his pocket, Zelgadis pulled out a small, black velvet box.  From the box he plucked a beautiful gold-banded ring, topped with a large ruby King's tear surrounded by smaller diamonds.  He took Lina's right hand and slipped the ring delicately upon her ring finger.  He smiled, perfect fit.

"That is if, you would be by my side always."  He looked directly into her eyes this time.  "Lina Inverse, will you marry me?"

"Oh my God," she gasp, the ringed hand trembling as she looked from it to him.  She then launched herself at him, fully embracing him once again as the tears started to fall, running down the column of Zel's neck. "Of course I'll marry you, Zel."

The smile upon his face grew to a foolish grin as she clutched his fiancé to him, having wrapped both his arms around her petite body.  Zelgadis mentally filed this day into this memory, wanting to look back on it when he was older and remember the day when his life had truly changed.

FINI


End file.
